To guard A Life
by Pricat
Summary: Shrek and Puss become Musketeers of Far, Far Away. Puss accepts but Shrek doesn't until a fight with someone from his past makes him want to protect everything he holds dear to him.
1. Unsure

To Guard a Life

It was a few days after Charming's attempt to take over Far, Far Away. Artie had became King but was getting training from Lillian on how to be a good ruler. Shrek and Fiona were getting ready to leave for the swamp when a page showed up. "Excuse me. Your Highness King Artie wishes your presence." He said to Shrek. He then followed him into the throne room where Artie was waiting for him. "What's going on?" he asked curiously. "Let's just say a great honour is to be bestowed to you." He told him. Puss watched as the boy unsheathed his sword. "I knight you Sir Shrek the Brave. It also makes you a Musketeer of Far, Far Away." He said to him.

"Wow. Artie what does a musketeer do if you know what I mean?" he asked him nervously, "Allow me to explain senor. They're like body guards to the King but they're sort of like French knights." Puss explained to him. He saw nervousness in the ogre's brown eyes at this. "Artie I don't know about this. I really just want to…" he said. "Go back home and start your family don't you?" Artie finished for him. He nodded in reply. "You're not mad are ya?" he told Artie. "No of course not. W…Why don't you think about it and let me know?" he said calmly.

He then left the room and rejoined Fiona in the royal suite. "What did Artie want?" she asked him. "He… He…" he began. "He knighted the boss and asked him about becoming a Musketeer of Far, Far Away." Someone said as he entered the room. It was Puss. He was wearing the Musketeer outfit. It was a suit or armour with the emblem of a dragon in the middle with a flowing purple cape. He also still had his black hat and precious boots on. "Let me guess, you became a Musketeer?" Shrek told him. "Si mi amigo. You know me. I love the thrill of the fight. What about you?" he answered proudly. "Well I think it makes you look cute and handsome. Fiona told him. Shrek rolled his eyes at that. He had a lot on his mind with the impending thoughts of father hood. "How can I be a Musketeer? Besides it wouldn't be right to Fiona or the kids because if I choose this, she'd have to look after them on her own in the swamp while I'm off gallivanting on adventures to save the kingdom. I always wanted to be a knight when I was a teen but things have changed since then." he thought to himself.

"You've got something on your mind haven't you?" Fiona said to him. "Yes. I want to be a Musketeer but..." he said. "But what honey?" she asked him. "It wouldn't be fair to you or the kids when they're born that I'm saving the kingdom or something. Besides I wouldn't want to leave ya to take of them on your own in our swamp." he explained to her. "Honey is this something you really want to do?" she said to him. "Yeah. Ever since I was a teen, I always wanted to be a knight but I never got a chance... to play the hero." he told her. "Then go for it! Don't worry. We'll find a way to work out the family thing. You and Puss will be amazing Musketeers." she reassured him. But on the way home in the onion carriage, something special was arriving. Shrek watched as his wife gritted her teeth at the pain. "Honey what's wrong?" he asked worriedly. "My water broke. It's time!" she told him. He then drove as fast as he could and found a hospital. He watched as Fiona was taken into the delivery suite and he waited outside. "Hola boss! Congrats on the bundles of joy on the way. You've got something on your mind, haven't you?" he told him. "Yeah I do. I might not decide to become a Musketeer." he told him. "Why not senor?" Puss asked him curiously. "Because it wouldn't be fair to Fiona if she has to look after the kids in the swamp on her own. while I'm gallivanting on quests. It just wouldn't be right. I hope Artie's not mad." he explained to him.

A few hours later they heard the sounds of infant crying and ran into the delivery suite. In Fiona's arms were two baby ogrelings and somebody put a third one in Shrek's arms. Puss smiled as he watched the new family together. Fiona saw sadness in her husband's eyes. While he was waiting, he'd fallen asleep and had a very bad vision. She wondered what was wrong. "It's nothing honey. Just a bad dream, that's all." he said as the baby was touching his face gently. But somebody was watching them. He was someone from Shrek's past, somebody he thought he'd forgot about...


	2. Cats in the Cradle

To guard a Life 

Ch 2

Charming was angry as he was sleeping in a tree in the forest. He had nowhere else to go after what had happened in Far, Far Away. He growled angrily at the memory of his failure. But then he saw somebody approach him. It was an ogre. He had messy black hair, wore black clothes and boots. "What do you want? Shouldn't you be with Shrek?" he said disgusted. The ogre glared at him. "You mean my pathetic son? I wouldn't join him if he were the last ogre in this stinking kingdom. I hate him!" he yelled.

Charming smiled at that. "I see we have something in common. Your son made me lose my chance at being King and having my Happily Ever After. Maybe we should team up and get our revenge." He said evilly. "Sweet! My name's Keithza. I like to rock out and perform wherever I can. I got busted by Social Services because of him." He told him evilly.

Meanwhile at the swamp Fiona and the babies were asleep but Shrek was still awake. He couldn't shake this bad feeling in his gut or forgot the vision he'd seen the other night of his Dad. He shivered as he went into the front room and sat in his alligator chair. But then he saw somebody barge their way in and heard Fiona scream in terror and the babies crying. He ran into the bedroom quickly. He saw his punk rocker father and was worried. "What're you doing here?" he yelled angrily at him. "Getting vengeance on ya son. Your wife looks hot as well as your precious little babes." He told him as his messy, black hair fell around his face. "Leave them alone! It's to do with me!" he said as he saw him come near the babies. Shrek then became a protective shield. "Beg for mercy!" he heard somebody yell. It was Puss. He and Shrek then began fighting Shrek's father. They then watched as Fiona got out of there with the kids.

"You'll never hurt my family as long as I'm around! You hurt me so much when I was a kid, you damaged my self esteem!" Shrek yelled as he kicked his father out of the swamp.

Fiona then came back into the house with the kids. She saw her husband clearing up the mess from the fight. There were various bruises, a black eye and other cuts on her husband. He smiled at her and blood dripped from his mouth a little. "You're hurt. Let me help you." She said to him gently. She then brought a tissue to his face and wiped it from his mouth. "Thanks honey. I…I'm sorry he showed up. But at least you and the kids are safe. I couldn't imagine my life without you guys." He said weakly as he sat down in the alligator chair. She understood. "Senor who was that strange ogre that tried to hurt Fiona and the kids?" Puss asked curiously. Shrek sighed at that question. "It's nothing Puss that you'd be interested in." he said quietly. He saw sadness in his friend's brown eyes. "Le Siento senor. I was just curious. That's all." He said. Fiona then watched as her son Meatballs crawled over to his Daddy's leg and tugged on it. Shrek then picked him up. Meatballs giggled happily as he looked into his father's eyes. "Hey son. At least I won't screw you, your brother or sister up the way my Dad did to me. Maybe I should become a Musketeer. That way I can protect you guys and your Mommy from bad people." He said sadly. Fiona watched as he rocked his son in his arms gently and watched him fall asleep. That seemed to make him smile. Fiona then took the baby from her husband and went into the bedroom.

"_I can't believe my Dad showed up here to try to hurt me but more so my family. If I became a Musketeer, I could protect them from jerks like him so that what happened tonight will never happen again." _He thought as he packed up some supplies in a bag. He then took a pen and a piece of paper. He wrote a note for Fiona explaining what he was about to do. He smiled at her sleeping body and the babies around her. "_I'll come back, I promise. When I become a Musketeer, I'll protect you guys from anything that trys to hurt you. I know it's the right thing to do."_ He thought as he kissed her and left the note on the bed.

Puss wondered where he was going. "To Far, Far Away and become a Musketeer. That way I can protect my family from jerks like my Dad and Charming." He told him. He nodded as he followed him. The next morning Fiona awoke but didn't find her husband anywhere. She then found the note on the blanket and read it. Tears ran down her face at this. She hoped he was safe where ever he was. She then saw her sons Meatballs and Spam wake up. "Mommy!" they said happily to her. Fiona smiled at that. "Good boys! You... look just like Daddy. I wish he was here to hear you guys talk." she told them as she hugged them gently. Meatballs then wondered what was wrong. "It's nothing. Daddy... went off somewhere and I'm worried about him in case he gets hurt or worse." she told him. He and his brother gurgled at that happily. Puss was watching this secretly. He'd came back to make sure Fiona and the kids were okay for the boss. Shrek had been thinking about them ever since they'd set off for Far, Far Away. "I wish you could hear your sons say their first word." he thought as he left. Meanwhile Shrek was in Far, Far Away with Artie. His head was filled with thoughts of the kids and Fiona. But the call of duty made him shake those thoughts out of his head at the minute...


End file.
